Indian Navy to commission 'Nistar': All you need to know about first indigenous diving support vessel

The first indigenous diving support vessel (DSV) Nistar will be commissioned in presence of Defence minister Rajnath Singh. (Image; X/@indiannavy)

Indian Navy is all set to commission its first indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV) Nistar at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on July 18, which will significantly boost its submarine support operations.

Nistar is capable of conducting deep-sea diving operations. The ship will also serve as the 'Mother Ship' for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) to rescue and evacuate personnel in case of an emergency in a submarine underwater.

"Equipped with cutting-edge deep sea diving systems, Nistar strengthens our operational capability and stands ready to rescue personnel from distressed submarines," according to Navy spokesperson.

Nistar - Roles & Capabilities

As #IndianNavy prepares to commission the first Nistar-Class Diving Support Vessel, here is a glimpse of her role enhancing capabilities.

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Equipped with cutting-edge Deep Sea Diving Systems, #Nistar strengthens our operational capability and stands… https://t.co/xRN3fRZo6e pic.twitter.com/omrhTND1qM

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 15, 2025

All you need to know about 'Nistar'

• The ship has been indigenously designed and constructed by state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited and will join the Eastern Naval Command to support deep sea diving and submarine rescue operations.
• ⁠In her earlier avatar, INS Nistar was a submarine rescue vessel which was acquired by the Indian Navy from the erstwhile USSR in 1969 and was commissioned in 1971.
• It is equipped with a combination of remotely operated vehicles to undertake diver monitoring and salvage operations up to a depth of 1000 m, according to the Navy spokesperson, as reported by Economic Times.
• The ship is highly specialised and can undertake deep-sea diving and rescue operations -- a capability with select navies across the globe.
• The warship has been designed and built as per classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).
• The name 'Nistar' originates from Sanskrit and it means liberation, rescue or salvation.
• The ship, measuring 118 m with a tonnage of nearly 10,000 tonnes, is installed with state-of-the-art diving equipment and has the capability to undertake deep-sea saturation diving up to 300 m depth, according to the spokesperson.
• Nistar also has a side diving stage for undertaking diving operations up to 75 m depth.
• With a length of approx 120 meters and displacing of more than 10,000 tons, the DSV has the capacity to maintain its position with extreme accuracy, using Dynamic Positioning System. The expansive diving complex onboard which consists of both Air and Saturation Diving Systems, along with underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Side Scan SONAR, substantially enhances the operational envelope of the vessel.
• Endurance of over 60 days at sea, capacity to undertake stage through helicopter operations and a 15-ton subsea crane make the ship a very versatile platform.